Reggaebird From Jamaica, joined Nov 1999, 1169 posts, RR: 0 Posted (9 years 8 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 2411 times:
Hello everyone,
I landed at Providence, RI's T.F. Green Airport at 10:56pm on Friday, September 12th and received a major surprise. As my Northwest A319 taxied in to the gate, I was stunned to see an Air Luxor Airbus A330 sitting parallel to the terminal building having just pushed back for departure.
I was not aware that Providence had transatlantic service!! Is this a regular charter or a one-time oddity? Does anyone know anything about this particular flight?
747firstclass From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (9 years 8 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 2347 times:
I had the same reaction last year. Believe I arrived there on a Fri. night at an adjacent gate and the flight was boarding. They seemed to have a good load of passengers. Later, I checked the flight and was amazed it was nonstop to LIS. IF memory also serves me correctly, the flight operated a couple times a week. At least it did last year. Very interesting.
MSYtristar From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 6242 posts, RR: 51 Reply 2, posted (9 years 8 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 2280 times:
Air Luxor flies to PVD weekly during the Summer. Charter flights.
Mats From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 584 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 2166 times:
I thought that Providence didn't have a long enough runway to support longhaul services, hence the reason there is no LAX nonstop. I guess this was a myth.
PVD would be such a nice alternative to Logan, if they ever get their security lines straightened out.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31107 posts, RR: 74 Reply 4, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 2123 times:
The flights operate during the summer. They are scheduled flights (listed in public reservation systems like Amadeus). They are not to Lisbon, however. They are to on of the Azores islands. I believe the island they go to is Sao Tome.
PVD757 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3374 posts, RR: 18 Reply 5, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 2078 times:
The Air Luxor ("LK") A330-200 is a weekly scheduled charter (www.kingholidaysusa.com) from PVD to PDL (Ponta DelGada, Azores) with continuing service to LIS. It operates May thru September on Fridays with 370 seats (2 class). The service has been very successful since it started last summer and the route has attracted another weekly charter on Saturdays provided by Sata International ("S4" "Air Azores" www.sata.pt) with a 2 class (222 seats) A310-300. I can tell you that the loads are good and there is a possibility of expanding/increasing the service and/or making it a scheduled flight to sell connx thru PVD.
The longest runway here is 7166 ft. Eastbound flights over the Atlantic have very favorable winds from here letting us get to Western Europe with the right aircraft (757, and most airbus' narrow or widebody). Westbound flights (LAX was mentioned) are possible with the right aircraft as well (757, 320 family). The other issue is having a carrier with those aircraft willing to provide the service. A couple of years ago, Icelandair was rumored to be looking at PVD, but they fell into some finacial issues/9-11.
Although PVD will never truely compete with BOS on many routes, we continue to be a great alternative on some. The PDL service will continue to be a success because of our location and ease of access to a large demographic of people of Portugeuse decent.
PVD757 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3374 posts, RR: 18 Reply 6, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 2055 times:
Mats,
Less than a month ago, PVD expanded/renovated the screening checkpoint area reducing wait times to "normal" levels. This is part of a 3 phase improvement project that will increase the efficiency of the checkpoint area and baggage screening operations. The entire project should be completed by next year, returning our ticket lobby area to it's pre-"9-11" appearence.
Rapo From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 395 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 1940 times:
A330's at PVD!? I'll have to keep my eyes skyward on Saturday nights from now on. That's a nice change from the endless parade of Southwest 737's, AA MD-80's & Continental Ex. jungle jets. Up until now, the occasional Delta & UA 757 has been the only highlight flying out of Green. I hope somebody gets a picture up on the database soon...........
Sam the Lab From Ireland, joined Aug 2001, 230 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 1816 times:
Very interesting! A good few years ago (at least 15 years or more) there was also a once off charter from Providence to Cork, Ireland operated by a Buffalo Airways Boeing 707-320 series which was ex TAP-Air Portugal. Now that the Air Luxor A330-200 flies so successfully from a runway just a little over seven thousand feet I look forward to the day when Aer Lingus A330-200s fly across the Atlantic to Boston and New York from Cork. I guess even a high weight A319 would do the job too!
John From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 1366 posts, RR: 6 Reply 10, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 1744 times:
Is that Air Luxor 332 allowed to take off maxed out with 370 pax, fuel and cargo? I doubt it, not from a runway that's barely 7,200 feet. Flying time to PDL is what? Approx 5 hours? But then again, look at the long haul wide body flights that operate from Maui's (OGG) 7,000 foot runway! So I suppose it can be done. I wonder how often a 777 might be weight restricted for instance, on an OGG-ORD run?
PVD757 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3374 posts, RR: 18 Reply 11, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 1643 times:
The Air Luxor A330 has (more than once) departed PVD with 370 pax/bags/fuel nonstop to PDL. It is listed as a 5 hr flight. I have watched it takeoff when full and it gets off the runway sooner than FEDEX's 727-200 when full to MEM or even Delta's full M88 to ATL.
DeltAirlines From United States of America, joined May 1999, 8770 posts, RR: 13 Reply 12, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 1572 times:
For those interested in photos of Air Luxor and SATA at PVD, check out the PVD group on Yahoo: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tfgreenairportwarwickripvd/ There are photos of Air Luxor A330s and L-1011s, plus I believe there are some photos of an Air Luxor A320 (yes, your read that right), plus an Aviajet B763 filling in for one of the charters.
As for the flight, it should go out full. Fall River, MA is a large Portuguese community, and it is a lot easier to get to PVD from there than BOS.
John From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 1366 posts, RR: 6 Reply 13, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 1507 times:
I'd bet a 3 times weekly Aer Lingus flight to Cork, Shannon or Dublin would do very well out of PVD! As well as an Alitalia flight to Rome. Rhode Island has a large Irish and Italian population that would certainly support this service and provide Southeastern New Englanders a convenient and hassle free alternative to Boston's LOGAN. Is the RI Airport Corporation actively persuing MORE international service for T.F. Green? There's only one customs gate, correct?
Msh744 From United States of America, joined May 2002, 463 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 1419 times:
I've seen a few of the DL 763's from the beach in RI thruout the past two months. One of the rarest planes I saw was a Planet 727 (never seen one before).
The Air Luxor service is perfect for PVD though, due to the local (Fall River, New Bedford, and Providence mostly) populations of Portuguese and Azorean (?) people.
John From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 1366 posts, RR: 6 Reply 15, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1310 times:
Planet Airways is a charter airline based in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I see their 727s all the time, parked at the west end of the field when I fly out of FLL.
ROSWELL41 From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 576 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (9 years 8 months 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1273 times:
What about Bradley International in Windsor Locks? A bigger more capable facility and not much farther away than PVD.
John From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 1366 posts, RR: 6 Reply 17, posted (9 years 8 months 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 1208 times:
I'm surprised BDL doesn't have any scheduled transatlantic service. I suppose they're affected by the amount of service from NYC area airports as well as BOS. The BIG EU carriers such as BA, LH, KL, SK, AZ, or VS don't seem to be particularly interested in serving the satellite airports, such as MHT, PVD or BDL. However, these airports seem to be good targets for the charter carriers.
Mikeycpvd From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 162 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (9 years 8 months 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 1142 times:
What about Bradley International in Windsor Locks? A bigger more capable facility and not much farther away than PVD
BDL is bigger and could process more passengers, but they don't have the catchment at least as far as the Portuguese population, hence no Azores flights. They do, however, have plenty of Boriquas which is how they are able to pull off their daily SJU.
I suppose they're affected by the amount of service from NYC area airports as well as BOS
I think you are absolutely right, although NYC would be more of a player than BOS in terms of limiting BDL's potential. Hartford is only about 1.5 hours from NYC, and a lot of BDL's domestic traffic comes from areas east of the Big City. But once you through in the international passenger traffic, it makes no sense to have foreign flag carriers operating from two airports so close to each other.
Some cats think i'm 6 feet, I'm so deep; I can get d-d-down like a pessimist - Common
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